– RAW scored a 3.9 rating (3.5 / 4.2 / 6 Share), up from last week. ECW scored a 2.4 rating, its second best rating.
– Wrestling promoter/tape-DVD dealer Rob Feinstein was backstage at the June 24th ECW show at the ECW Arena. I was told that he was asked to leave the backstage area by security. He reportedly claimed that he was there as an invited guest of Tommy Dreamer but that didn’t matter to security.
– The word going around was that Sci Fi liked ECW this past week, especially the main event. They were said to really like the blood and thumbtacks in the Ric Flair-Big Show match and liked the ECW feel.
– A source in WWE merchandising says that they will be discontinuing the EC F’N Shirt soon. The shirt, which was a huge seller for ECW back in the nineties and was patterned by Paul Heyman after a very popular Guns N Roses shirt from time period, was the best selling shirt in ECW history. Vince McMahon reportedly feels that the shirt is too crass (!?!?!?!?) and will turn off potential advertisers.
– Paul Heyman did not wear his trademark hat on TV last night because the hat is part of his babyface persona while last night’s look is how he works as an “in charge” heel.
– The return of Dave Batista on Friday led Smackdown to an 18% increase in Hispanic viewers last week.
– ECW.com has a new feature called “Hardcore Hangover” where you can download each segment of the show. It can be found here.
– Robbie and Rory McAllister’s bios were added to WWE.com.
– Ric Flair was Joey Styles’ most extreme player of the week, and in his latest online column, he had this to say: I thought Heyman’s declaration of himself as ECW’s “martyr, savior and messiah,” sans stigmata, was too religious for my good taste. Besides, the Backlash pay-per-view buy rate proved once again that religion and wrestling will not fill the collection plates at the box office window. Of course, I am not allowed to say something like that on television. Actually, you fans would be shocked to find out what I am not allowed to say on television these days.
– Regarding Wednesday’s WWE press conference in Toronto: According to several sources in the Canadian TV industry, Raw will be moving from TSN to The Score in just a few weeks. A decline in Raw ratings combined with TSN acquiring the rights to Monday Night Football in September led to the decision, which is sort of mutual, although technically TSN decided to walk away from the deal. It should also be noted that The Score has acquired rights to TNT’s early game NBA package next season on Thursday, when Smackdown is still running, so there will likely be another Canadian change within a few months. The final episode of on TSN will be 7/31. TSN and WWE were unable to reach an agreement about how Raw would be presented on the station during football season. When push came to shove, TSN was going to have to decide between WWE and Monday Night Football, and in that position, they chose football.
Spoilers from Heat and other notes from Raw in Sioux City:
Dark Match:
Harry Smith beat Wavell Starr. Smith looked good and has “star” written all over him.
Heat:
Umaga won a squash. Armando did his thing pre-match.
Trevor Murdoch and Lance Cade beat two local guys.
Spirit Squad Kenny beat Snitsky with lots of help from the rest of the Spirit Squad.
After Raw:
John Cena beat Edge as Triple H reffed and Shawn Michaels hung around ringside and got involved.
Credit: PWInsider.com, WrestlingObserver.com
